Former Vernon police chief steps into new job as armed security officer

ELLINGTON, Conn. (WTNH) — Days after retiring from the Vernon Police Department, former chief John Kelley is back to work as an armed security officer in the Ellington school district.

“It’s stressful being chief of police,” Kelley said. “Twenty-eight years, I realized it was time to take a different path.”

Kelley started in the new role this week. He is the district’s fourth armed security officer. The board of education implemented the position back in 2019, following school safety concerns.

The idea received support from parents and community members over the years as school shootings continued to happen across the country.

“We feel that it is important to have trained professionals who understand community policing in schools to establish relationships with parents, staff, and students,” said Scott Nicol, Ellington Public Schools’ superintendent.

Kelley will be at each of the district’s five schools throughout his first week, walking the halls, talking to students and working to earn their trust.

Nicol said Kelley was hired because of the connections he’s made during his 28 years in law enforcement.

Kelley is one of three former police chiefs working in the town of Ellington. Walter Lee, the former chief of the Connecticut State Capitol, is the town’s emergency and risk management director. Matthew Reed, the former chief of police of South Windsor, became the town administrator in 2023.

Kelley said the skills and experience he gained as a police officer will help him in his new job.

“I think the biggest thing, being a police officer, is communication, having that ability to talk to anybody during high stress,” he said.

Kelley also has decades of firearm training. Many schools have security officers, but not all of them are armed. Kelley explained to kids that having a firearm isn’t as scary as it seems.

“Every profession has its tools, and that just happens to be my tool that would be used in a last-case scenario to protect other people and myself,” Kelley said.

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